Ohio State Football: Day’s start at OSU more impressive than Meyer’s

Defenses

Ohio State’s defense has also been better during Day’s first six games compared to Meyer’s.

So far this year they are only allowing 8.8 points per game – fourth in the nation – and in 2012 they allowed 20.5 points per game through six games.

In 2012 they also allowed 386.5 yards per game through six games while this year’s squad has only allowed 234.6 yards per game.

This year’s defense with Chase Young and Jeffrey Okudah has been stout while 2012’s defensive unit certainly had some holes in it.

Strength of schedules

Just taking a quick look it looks as if the 2012 squad had a tougher first six games, playing two top 25 teams in Michigan State and Nebraska, while the 2019 team has only played one team ranked in the top 25 at the time they played this year in Michigan State.

More from Ohio State Football

• Ohio State Football: How Denzel Burke has bounced back so far this season
• Ohio State Football rolling into form at the perfect time
• How Ohio State football has done historically versus new Big 12
• Ohio State Football: We need to see “Killer Ryan Day” at South Bend
• Ohio State Football vs. Notre Dame Prediction, Odds, Spread and Over/Under for College Football Week 4

I personally think Ohio State’s wins so far this year have been just as impressive.

In 2012 Ohio State beat California by one touchdown, 35-28 – that Cali team went 3-9. There was also a 17-16 win over Michigan State that was ranked 20th at the time, but that Spartan team ultimately went 7-6.

The Buckeyes did have a 63-38 win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers who went 10-4 that year and finished the season ranked 25th though, which was by far their best win in that six-game stretch.

So far this year Ohio State has beaten 4-2 Indiana 51-10 and Michigan State 34-10 which was ranked No. 25 at the time. The Spartans are 4-3, though, so who knows if that really is an impressive win.

The 42-0 win over Cincinnati was the most impressive one. The Bearcats are 5-1 and currently ranked No. 21 in the AP Poll.

Neither team had great wins through six games but they had some decent ones, so I say their strengths of schedules through six games were equal.

All in all, I think Day’s first six games have been far and away more dominant than Meyer’s. That might be because Meyer left OSU in great shape and he came into the program right after the tattoo scandal. However, I think it is safe to say that Ryan Day has done a fantastic job and might have the potential to be just as good and possibly more successful than Meyer.